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Chapters (76)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. PROLOGUE
  5. PART I
  6. ONE
  7. TWO
  8. THREE
  9. FOUR
  10. FIVE
  11. SIX
  12. SEVEN
  13. EIGHT
  14. NINE
  15. PART II
  16. TEN
  17. ELEVEN
  18. TWELVE
  19. THIRTEEN
  20. FOURTEEN
  21. FIFTEEN
  22. SIXTEEN
  23. SEVENTEEN
  24. EIGHTEEN
  25. NINETEEN
  26. PART III
  27. TWENTY
  28. TWENTY-ONE
  29. TWENTY-TWO
  30. TWENTY-THREE
  31. TWENTY-FOUR
  32. TWENTY-FIVE
  33. TWENTY-SIX
  34. INTERLUDE
  35. PART IV
  36. TWENTY-SEVEN
  37. TWENTY-EIGHT
  38. TWENTY-NINE
  39. THIRTY
  40. THIRTY-ONE
  41. THIRTY-TWO
  42. THIRTY-THREE
  43. THIRTY-FOUR
  44. INTERLUDE
  45. PART V
  46. THIRTY-FIVE
  47. THIRTY-SIX
  48. THIRTY-SEVEN
  49. THIRTY-EIGHT
  50. PART VI
  51. THIRTY-NINE
  52. FORTY
  53. FORTY-ONE
  54. FORTY-TWO
  55. FORTY-THREE
  56. FORTY-FOUR
  57. FORTY-FIVE
  58. INTERLUDE
  59. PART VII
  60. FORTY-SIX
  61. FORTY-SEVEN
  62. FORTY-EIGHT
  63. FORTY-NINE
  64. FIFTY
  65. FIFTY-ONE
  66. FIFTY-TWO
  67. PART VIII
  68. FIFTY-THREE
  69. FIFTY-FOUR
  70. FIFTY-FIVE
  71. FIFTY-SIX
  72. EPILOGUE
  73. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  74. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  75. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  76. Newsletter Sign-up

EVERY SECOND THAT PASSED was merciless. The extremes of exhaustion and excitement battled over Guy’s nerves. He stayed at the top of the ridge with Devon and Ferrers, waiting for the others to signal their readiness. Morg and Bolt went their own way, setting up in a concealed position close enough to the thieves’ camp for Bolt to use his crossbow once the trap was sprung. Sir Robert FitzOdo originally insisted on leading the horseback charge, but changed his mind when he realized Devon would be a part of that as well. Guy’s new recruit had certainly gotten under the knight’s skin, which was an impressive thing to do. So FitzOdo opted to join Reginold and Eric in their long run around the valley to circle behind the enemy camp. Once they were in position, they’d be hidden from the outlaws below, but plainly visible from Guy’s vantage.

That meant there was nothing to do but wait, and Guy found it hard to fight off the pull that wanted to smother him into sleep. He had barely closed his eyes at the inn that morning, and felt far crispier than he would prefer for a maneuver like this. Fortunately, every errant noise in the distance startled him alert. He was endlessly afraid the thieves would spot them and make a run for it, and Devon’s plan would spell their disaster.

“What you said earlier took bravery,” Guy said to the young Devon, as Ferrers slipped away to relieve himself in the bracken. “You haven’t interacted with a lot of knights, I’ll guess.”

“That was the first one,” Devon admitted.

“Hopefully not your last.” He smiled, hoping to give the boy some confidence. “Brave or naïve—they’re cousins, after all. Best be sure your expectations for this next part are tempered then. The odds we get Jon Bassett back alive are narrow. It’s good to have hope, but the reality is he’s probably dead already.”

Devon seemed confused. “Then why are we trying?”

“Don’t ask me that.” Guy turned to look at him plainly. “Ask yourself. You’re trying, aren’t you? You spoke up against FitzOdo when you didn’t have to. You could just take orders, happy to be outside of a prison cell. But seems like you actually care. Why? Why are you here?”

The question might as well have been a woman, as Devon had no idea what to do with it. Guy certainly couldn’t expect the young man to have distinguished a keen sense of morality so quickly. He had likely only accepted this position in the Guard to save his own skin. But Guy hoped to guide the young man, in all the ways he had failed to do with Jon Bassett.

When Devon answered, it was with little conviction. “Responsibility?”

It sounded less like a real answer than a guess at what Guy wanted to hear.